Chapter 78 How Fickle are the Hearts of Old Friends

Evelyn thought she was seeing things, but the person in front of her was clearly Étienne. His smile hadn't disappeared yet, and that expression stabbed Evelyn's heart for no reason. It felt like being pricked by a fine needle.

He seemed to have lost weight, but there was also a lot more maturity between his brows. He was no longer the young, lively boy he had been when they first met. For some reason, Evelyn could see all these changes clearly, and it made her sad.

She couldn't believe that the woman by his side had changed from Sophie to Lena. Well, when Evelyn was leaving, Étienne's WE Company had just signed Lena. It's been five years now, and it's normal for them to have some sort of relationship.

Evelyn realized that she couldn't control her thoughts. She felt extremely frustrated. No matter how capable someone is, they are always powerless when it comes to themselves.

She lowered her eyes, thinking that they would just pass by each other like this, but Lena stopped her. Lena greeted her enthusiastically, "Miss Bennett, long time no see!" She seemed completely unaware of the connection between Evelyn and Étienne.

Evelyn smiled at her. Being naturally indifferent, it was normal for her to not say anything.

Lena was still holding Étienne's arm. She said, "Miss Bennett, are you eating here too? If I had known earlier, we could have gone together. It's boring to eat alone, isn't it? Friends or solitude?"

"Eating with friends." Evelyn forced herself to respond to Lena. At that moment, Charles walked out of the private room, bringing some liveliness. He casually opened the door and saw the three of them blocking the entrance.

Lena's eyes were almost glued to Charles. "You're here too! So you're the friend." If he had come a bit later, they might have been able to eat together.

Evelyn unintentionally took a look at Étienne. He was playing with his cufflink and seemed bored.

Charles didn't say anything to Lena. He just nodded quietly as a response. Lena, however, continued persistently, "The food here is really good, and I haven't had enough. Can we join you?"

Evelyn looked up at Charles pleadingly, as if seeking help. Luis was still inside, and they couldn't let them in. Charles naturally understood Evelyn's concern. Finally, he looked at Lena and said, "It's a private gathering, sorry. We'll invite you both for a meal next time."

Lena felt somewhat dissatisfied. Charles added sarcastically, "If you like it here, you can come again next time."

"Alright, then we won't disturb you." Lena took her leave, taking a quick glance at Evelyn who appeared somewhat uneasy. Étienne didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Evelyn.

Charles turned to Étienne and said, "Mr. Chevalier, we should gather sometime in the future." One shouldn't neglect the formalities.

Finally, Étienne raised his eyes and looked at Charles. In his calm gaze, there was nothing more than a still pond, devoid of any emotions.

He uttered only one word. "Okay."

Upon hearing that word, Evelyn's heart pounded like a drum. What kind of emotion was this? Five years! Five years had passed. Hearing Étienne's voice once again made her feel so unsure.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the two departing figures, and a dull ache filled her heart.

Charles turned his head to look at Evelyn. She nodded at him, signaling that she was fine. Just then, Luis walked out through the door, and Evelyn panicked. She quickly covered his little mouth with her hand before he could call his mother. "Let's go inside."

These words naturally reached the ears of Lena and Étienne, who weren't far away. Lena felt a bit annoyed. She had thought that Evelyn was just pushing Charles toward Vivian. But she didn't expect that the relationship among the three of them would be so complex.

Lena admired Evelyn wholeheartedly. But Evelyn seemed to overlook her. Then she thought about the last time Vivian had tried to help her, but with such a proud attitude. In an instant, she felt like a clown, a laughingstock.

Étienne didn't have many thoughts in his mind. He hadn't expected to run into them here. He remembered that Charles had liked Evelyn five years ago. Were they really together now? But even if they were, what did it have to do with him?

He lowered his head and glanced at Lena. So she liked Charles, huh? What a coincidence! Evelyn still seemed the same as before, but there were some changes. She didn't seem as sharp as she used to be. Her whole demeanor had softened. How could he not be curious?

He just didn't allow himself to be curious. He didn't allow himself to take another look. It had hurt too much in the past, so he didn't want to bring back those memories, even if it was just a little bit.

All his feelings were seen as nothing but a joke by Evelyn. The scar on his chest was too distinct, constantly reminding him that her cruelty was real.

Lena had no idea what Étienne was thinking. She simply felt at ease being driven home by him. In this circle, there were too many transactions. It was something she had long gotten used to. Compared to those individuals, Étienne was actually more advantageous for her. There was no need for any false pretenses when dealing with him.

Étienne parked the car outside Lena's home. It wasn't the luxurious house he had imagined. It was just an ordinary residential area. Étienne didn't get out of the car. Lena thanked him. When she opened the car door, the person who had been silent the whole time finally spoke, "If you ever need anything in the future, just contact me."

Lena pressed her lips together and nodded. Just as she got out of the car, it glided away smoothly in a graceful curve, swift and decisive, leaving no trace behind.

There was no hesitation. Lena knew he was a heartless man, but what did that have to do with her?

Étienne felt a little agitated. He didn't know why he was doing this, but he consoled himself. He must be tired of Jade. After all, they had been together for a long time, and indulging her like this might create issues in the future.

Today's meeting with Lena was satisfactory. She was intelligent and not clingy; just what Étienne expected from a companion. As for the rest, it didn't matter.

Luis reached out and removed Evelyn's hand that was covering his mouth. "Mom, what are you doing? That hurts..."

Evelyn suddenly realized that she had been too nervous just now. She hadn't been gentle with her actions. She quickly apologized to Luis, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it." Their way of getting along was always like this, equal and fair.

Luis forgave her reluctantly. "Alright, let it go."

Vivian, who was focused on eating her meal, was amused by Luis's response. "Haha! This kid, I like him. I must have a daughter!" she said with enthusiasm, leaving Charles speechless.

Vivian clearly heard that Lena was standing outside, yet she didn't show any reaction and continued eating her dinner as if nothing happened. She didn't come out to resolve the situation for him. Charles quietly noted this in his heart.

"Was that Étienne standing outside just now?" Vivian asked Evelyn absentmindedly. Evelyn stared back at her. Vivian was naturally afraid of her, so she immediately stopped talking.

For Evelyn, the dinner was tasteless. She really couldn't understand why Étienne's presence had disturbed her so much. Suddenly, a sense of regret engulfed her. How would she continue living like this in the future? What if he found out about Luis?

She couldn't even imagine it! She felt uneasy when she saw him, as if it was natural for her to feel guilty.

Vivian kept rambling on about the child issue. Evelyn said gloomily, "Let's talk about it when you have a daughter." Vivian blurted out, "That's fine too. We can still be together if it's a boy!" Evelyn and Charles didn't know how to respond to this person's way of thinking. They just exchanged a smile and ignored her.

Vivian, seeing that they didn't understand her at all, turned to Luis and said, "Luis, don't you want a little brother? Promise me that you'll love and take care of your little brother in the future."

Evelyn couldn't bear it anymore. "Vivian, he's still very young! Enough is enough!"

Charles suppressed his laughter and remained composed.

It was hard to stay calm with Vivian, so their occasional outbursts didn't seem so embarrassing anymore. It made them feel cheerful.

Evelyn, watching the two, felt overwhelmed. She was about to start filming soon, and entrusting Luis to these two seemed dangerous. She wondered if they would corrupt her son.

Luis didn't understand why Evelyn was anxious. He looked at Vivian and said, "Alright, Vivian. I will love my little brother very much."

After hearing these words, Vivian was extremely happy and nodded in satisfaction.